How should disciples process emotional difficulties such as anger, depression, frustration, or desires that arise during an anusthan?

The benefit of an anusthan is that it very quickly brings to the surface the impurities that are within the three bodies. The Energy interacts at very subtle levels and hastens their removal. These are all processes of cleansing and purification and the best thing to do is never stop the practice, no matter how strong or how negative those emotions may be. When you stop the practice, you are holding on to the impurity and it’s not being released.

So, eventually you need to cultivate the willpower and understanding that no matter what happens, you’re not going to stop the practice. You need to understand that it’s just a part of the cleansing process and it is in your best interest to just allow that to be thrown out. The problem is that one has a tendency to hold on to whatever is going on, thinking “This is my anger,” or “This is my fear”, or “How can I think such thoughts when I’m doing practices?” Guruji taught that you are the soul; the soul has no thoughts; it has no emotions, so detach yourself even from your own mind. Become a witness to whatever process is happening, as if you are watching a movie. Don’t accept that it is yours, know that you are just feeling or experiencing or seeing all of that, but it is not yours, so let it go by. If your mind can truly remove itself from holding on to those thoughts, then it will pass over them very easily. Don’t get trapped, just move yourself away.

In such situations it is very helpful to read the life of a saint. Whatever saints have gone through in their lives, particularly when they were students, is often very inspiring and gives us the energy and inner strength to continue. Reading Guruji’s biography is a very strong support during the process of anusthan when those things do come up.

In our experience, doing anusthan seems to bring up difficulties in our life and in our families’ lives. Also, the world situation doesn’t seem to be improving in spite of disciples doing practices for world peace. Would you comment on that?

The subtlety of the karma is something that can never be measured. When a group of our disciples or other persons do practices, the overall impact can never be measured. We do see still a lot of unrest and wars, but we do not know what our practices have done to reduce that intensity. Had it not been for those practices, things may have been a lot worse. So, any practices definitely have an impact. Maybe what we are doing is just a tiny drop in the mighty ocean. We may feel we are doing a lot, but it is still nothing.

How many disciples are there doing practices, as compared to the world population? The group that meets for the Vajra Panjar Applied anusthan held once a year is still very small twenty-five years after Guruji started his work. So those practices are definitely small in terms of what is required to bring about a change that could be very visible. Nonetheless, the impact is still there. You do not have the level of sensitivity to see it, but anything done definitely has its impact, there’s no doubt.

There have been sick people from day one of Creation, and there are many sick people today and people die, but the hospitals go on and healing goes on. You cannot say that because there is death and there is disease, we should not have hospitals. So practices need to go on, and ultimately it’s in the hands of the Lord to decide what change should or should not happen. Things may be negative from our perspective, but there might be a subtle reason behind what is happening. Even if we do not see that change, we have to accept that there is some Divine Will allowing that process to unfold in some way that is necessary for the welfare of humanity. All we can do, as Guruji said, is put in our intent and practices, and then leave the rest in the hands of God.

Would you like to make any final comments about anusthan?

Disciples should try to do anusthan once or twice a year. Remember, the purpose of the anusthan is to distract yourself from the external and just focus upon your growth and your bond and communication with God and Guru. Everything else needs to be put on hold. Start an anusthan by saying: “It’s just me and God and everything else can wait.” Don’t be distracted by anything external. Once you start, forget the outside world. God is taking care. You don’t have to worry about things, as Guruji used to say. Just focus on the practice and do the best you can.